System and method for determining a path in a graphical diagram

• US 6,396,488 B1
• Filed: 01/04/1999
• Issued: 05/28/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 01/04/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Igrafx LLC
• Original Assignee: Corel Incorporated (Corel Holdings LP)
• Inventors: Merkle, Brad E., Simmons, Craig R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bayerl, Raymond J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen, Thomas T.
• Application Number:
  US09/226,176
• Time in Patent Office: 1,240 Days
• Field of Search: 345/339,440,356,357,967,810,835,840,619,853,854
• US Class Current: 715/812
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2111/12 Symbolic schematics
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 30/18 Network design, e.g. design based on topological or interconnect aspects of utility systems, piping, heating ventilation air conditioning [HVAC] or cabling circuit design at the physical level G06F30/39; network planning tools for wireless communication networks H04W16/18
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 11/206 Drawing of charts or graphs

Abstract

A system for determining a path in a graphical diagram includes a processor coupled to an input device, an output device, a memory, and a data retrieval device. The processor executes an application to determine a path through a portion of a graphical diagram, to record path information defining the path, and to reproduce a copy of the path using the path information.

Claims

1. A system for determining a path in a graphical diagram, comprising:

a memory operable to store a graphical diagram having an arrangement of shapes, the diagram comprising a first level having a first shape and a second level having a plurality of second shape;

a processor coupled to the memory and operable to determine a path through a portion of the diagram and to store path information for the path, the path information comprising an identifier for each shape traversed by the path, the processor further operable to generate a second graphical diagram using the path information and to present the plurality of second shapes to a user for selection, the second graphical diagram comprising the shapes traversed by the path and a plurality of path segments linking the shapes traversed by the path, the path segments determined based on path segments indicated in the graphical diagram; and

a display coupled to the processor and operable to display the path by displaying the second graphical diagram such that the display indicates the selected path segments traversed between the shapes by the path.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein:

the diagram comprises a plurality of shapes arranged in a plurality of levels; and

the path comprises a plurality of path sections extending between adjacent levels.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the path comprises more than one path section extending between a first level and a second level adjacent to the first level.

4. The system of claim 2, wherein the path comprises a plurality of path sections extending between shapes traversed by the path.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is further operable to determine the plurality of second shapes based upon a logical relationship between the first shape and a second shape.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein:

the diagram comprises a first shape and a plurality of second shapes; and

the display is further operable to display a path section to a second shape selected in response to user input.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the path is discontinuous, such that at least one of the shapes traversed in the path is not linked to the other shapes by the path segments linking the shapes in the second graphical diagram.

9. A method for determining a path in a graphical diagram, the diagram comprising a first level having a first shape and a level having a plurality of second shape, the method comprising:

selecting the first shape;

presenting the plurality of second shapes to a user for selection;

determining a path to a selected second shape, the path comprising a plurality of path sections extending between shapes traversed by the path;

storing path information for the path, the path information comprising an identifier for each of the shapes traversed by the path;

generating a second graphical diagram using the path information, the second graphical diagram comprising the shapes traversed by the path and a plurality of path segments linking the shapes traversed by the path, the path segments determined based on path segments indicated in the graphical diagram; and

displaying the second graphical diagram in a manner to indicate the selected path segments traversed between the shapes by the path.

8. The method of claim 9, wherein the path is discontinuous, such that at least one of the shapes traversed in the path is not linked to the other shapes by the path segments linking the shapes in the second graphical diagram.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising determining the plurality of second shapes based upon a logical relationship between the first shape and a second shape.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein:

the diagram comprises a plurality of shapes arranged in a plurality of levels; and

the path comprises a plurality of path sections extending between adjacent levels.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the path comprises more than one path section extending between a first level and a second level adjacent to the first level.

13. A computer graphics program for determining a path in a graphical diagram, the diagram comprising a first level having a first shape and a second level having a plurality of second shapes, the program encoded on a computer-readable medium and operable to excuse the following steps:

selecting the first shape;

presenting the plurality of second shapes to a user for selection;

determining a path to a selected second shape, the path comprising a plurality of path sections extending between shapes traversed by the path;

storing path information for the path, the path information comprising an identifier for each of the shapes traversed by the path;

generating a second graphical diagram using the path information, the second graphical diagram comprising the shapes traversed by the path and a plurality of path segments linking the shapes traversed by the path, the path segments determined based on path segments indicated in the graphical diagram; and

displaying the second graphical diagram in a manner to indicate the selected path segments traversed between the shapes by the path.

14. The computer graphics program of claim 13, the program further operable to determine the plurality of second shapes based upon a logical relationship between the first shape and a second shape.

15. The computer graphics program of claim 13, wherein:

the diagram comprises a plurality of shapes arranged in a plurality of levels; and

the path comprises a plurality of path sections extending between adjacent levels.

16. The computer graphics program of claim 15, wherein the path comprises more than one path section extending between a first level and a second level adjacent to the first level.

17. The computer graphics program of claim 13, wherein the path is discontinuous, such that at least one of the shapes traversed in the path is not linked to the other shapes by the path segments linking the shapes in the second graphical diagram.

18. A system operated by a user to traversed a path in a graphical diagram comprising:

a display operable to display a graphical diagram having an arrangement of shapes, the diagram comprising a first level having a first shape and a second level having a plurality of second shapes; and

a processor coupled to the display and operable to present a user interface having a plurality of navigation controls operated by a traversed a path in the graphical diagram and operable to present the plurality of second shapes to the user for selection, the user interface further including a recording control to establish a recording session, wherein the processor is further operable to store path information for a path traversed during the recording session and to generate a second graphical diagram using the path information, the second graphical diagram comprising the shapes traversed by the path and plurality of path segments linking the shapes traversed by the path, segments determined based on path segments indicated in the graphical diagram;

wherein the display is further operable to display a second graphical diagram generated using the path information by the displaying the second graphical diagram such that the display indicates the selected path segments traversed between the shapes by the path.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein:

the diagram comprises a plurality of shapes arranged in a plurality of levels; and

the navigation controls comprise a control to traverse a path extending between adjacent levels.

20. The system of claim 18, wherein:

the diagram comprises a plurality of shapes arranged in a plurality of levels; and

the navigation controls comprise a control to undo a path extending between adjacent levels.

21. The system of claim 18, wherein:

the diagram comprises a plurality of shapes arranged in a plurality of levels; and

the navigation controls comprise a control to select among a plurality of shapes of a particular level.

22. The system of claim 18, wherein:

the diagram comprises a first shape and a plurality of second shapes; and

the display is further operable to present the plurality of second shapes to the user for selection.

23. The system of claim 18, wherein the recording control comprises a start recording button to initiate the recording session.

24. The system of claim 18, wherein the recording control comprises a stop recording button to terminate the recording session.

25. The system of claim 18, wherein the display is further operable to present information associated with a selected shape.

26. The system of claim 18, wherein the path is discontinuous, such that at least one of the shapes is transversed in the path is not linked to the other shapes by the path segments linking the shapes in the second graphical diagram.